Forgive and Regret
by Chibikawa
Summary: Guntz and Klonoa have joined up again as part-time bounty hunters. However it's not all fun and dandy as ghosts from Guntz' come out to find him. 1 year after Heroes; slash; violence, language, etc.
1. Chapter 1: A Daily Outing

**Disclaimer: **Radah bladah—Klonoa characters—dadih dudih—Namco—rumdih humdih—other characters—ladih madih—me. Capiche?

**AN:** "Fwu—Another one?!" Yeah, yeah, I know... But I actually plan on finishing this one. I mean it! I've been getting better at that planning ahead stuff that'll stop me from getting writer's block and keep me from losing interest. So, even if I don't get any reviews, I plan on finishing this either way for my sake. And, yes, it is slash. Just guess who the lucky couple is. 8D

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**Forgive and Regret**

**Chapter 1: **A Daily Outing

"This is where he goes every night to store his stolen goods."

"How do you know?"

"I did some spying last night."

"Oh, that's right. You get really into this, don't you, Guntz?"

"It's not very smart to just jump right into things, you know."

Klonoa gave a quick laugh. "You used to jump right into things all the time." Guntz didn't respond to the remark, distracting himself with one of his guns. There were a few _clicks_ here and there as he fidgeted with it and a short-lived moment of silence ensued. Klonoa suddenly giggled to himself, hunching over slightly in his seated position as if anxiously restless.

"What's so funny?" Guntz dared to ask, almost smiling at the sheer randomness of it, yet wanting to scold him because it wasn't the time to be acting careless.

"Lolo's visiting Breezegale tonight. She's bringing some home-baked cookies. She's gotten really good over this past year. They're delicious!" Klonoa exclaimed excitedly. Guntz gave him a raised eyebrow as the younger boy leaned back against the old, toppled over dumpster behind them. "Of course, I'm excited about seeing Lolo and Popka again, too."

Klonoa looked up at the orange-tinted sky that always seemed present in Volk, even at night. It was midday now, or perhaps the sun was starting to set—it was so hard to tell from here. He could hardly keep himself still with the anticipation circulating through his veins.

Lolo had left again to the Sky Temple a year ago to continue training to become a priestess. Popka had gone with her this time, too nervous to leave her by herself again after she'd gotten kidnapped the last time. She was very busy there, rarely having time to come visit her old home where all her friends were. It wasn't easy getting all the way down to Breezegale from the Sky Temple, either.

Klonoa shifted impatiently as he and Guntz waited. Beside them on both sides were tall, abandoned buildings. Volk was filled with these vacant piles of stone and cement. This place was always going through some kind of war, whether it be minor between two groups, or huge among the whole city. Many people lost their homes during their battles. Klonoa wondered why innocent people lived here at all, instead of a more peaceful place like Breezegale or Jugkettle.

The fallen dumpster behind him leaned against a wall of one of the buildings and the two of them hide inside the 90 degree angle of which they formed. They were on a mission right now; bounty hunting for an outlaw who frequently stole precious firearms and weaponry from shops and warehouses. They only had to catch him and bring him in. No death was necessary—which Klonoa would never have agreed to assist in such a job, anyway.

He and Guntz went on these sorts of missions often. It'd only been about a month after the trio of heroes—them two and Pango—had defeated the nightmare devouring, self-proclaimed "hero" that was Nahatomb when Guntz had found Klonoa again and suggested they continue the partnership they'd started when they first met.

Klonoa had no idea why he did it, but he was grateful that he did. Life in Breezegale was just so unbearably peaceful after he'd returned home. Nothing was wrong with peace, of course, but it was just so _boring_. Lolo and Popka had left and Chipple was often too busy caring for his younger siblings. Klonoa could never find a way to make the monotonous days go by faster until Guntz had shown himself again.

Pango had joined them for a little while, too. The three of them made a great team together. Klonoa was happy that the end of their previous adventure didn't mean they couldn't see each other anymore. However, family matters became too plentiful for Pango to take any time off to go on jobs with them. So after that it was just Klonoa and Guntz.

Klonoa had been disappointed to see a valuable member go, but at the same time he saw this as a good opportunity to get to know Guntz better. The older boy was always so reserved toward everyone. Klonoa knew that despite his young age, he had a long and painful past lurking behind him in his shadow. He rarely, if ever, talked about it.

Klonoa stopped thinking about it and looked down from the clouded sky to his large ring. The golden color of the band was starting to fade ever so slightly. He didn't know what he could do to stop that from happening—he had no idea just how old the oversized jewelry was. Its emerald gem still sparkled brilliantly, though, so he didn't worry about it much.

Guntz glanced his way from peaking around the dumpster and followed his gaze. "You should take better care of that thing. A man is only as good as his w—" He stopped suddenly as Klonoa glanced up at him. With a thoughtful blink he looked away and sighed. "Never mind."

Klonoa gave a faint smile. Over the year he'd noticed a gradual change in Guntz' behavior and attitude. He wasn't nearly as mean or careless about what he said or did as he used to be. He was putting an effort into it, too, which only made Klonoa all the happier about it. Guntz _wanted_ to be a better person—to change. Though Klonoa had already seen him as a good person before.

"You know what would make Lolo's visiting to Breezegale even better?" Klonoa suddenly asked with a smile, leaning to the side so that their shoulders were touching. Guntz didn't respond, already knowing where this was going. "If you came, too," Klonoa finished hopefully.

Guntz sighed, shifting himself to a more comfortable position. "I've told you over and over: guys like me don't belong in peaceful towns like Breezegale. I'll wind up scaring people and making them all uneasy whether I'm actually doing anything or not. No thanks. I'd rather stay here where I belong," he replied casually.

Klonoa didn't like it when Guntz referred to Volk as somewhere he belonged. This place was violent and mean. It certainly wasn't a place Klonoa liked to stay at for long. Unfortunately, Volk had the most crimes going on, so this was their most frequent place to hunt for outlaws. If Guntz was really trying to be a nicer person, then why was he still so attached to this place?

"This guy's got a gang and they'll probably be with him, so don't be careless," Guntz cautioned, discreetly changing the subject.

"I'll be fine," Klonoa answered confidently. "I've been getting better at this, right?"

Guntz made a smile in response to Klonoa's expectant grin. "Yeah, sure. I guess so. Though it's been nearly a year since we've started doing this. It would be pretty sad if you haven't gotten any better since then."

Klonoa pursed his lips in a pout. Guntz may have been changing in some ways, but some things never changed. The guy still loved to tease him. "But I _am _getting better, so it's not!" he protested childishly.

Guntz placed a hand on Klonoa's head to twist his hat back and forth teasingly. "Calm down, and don't raise your voice. I was only kidding," he sneered. "We don't want to be spotted. They'll be here any minute."

Klonoa quickly readjusted his hat to a comfortable position. "That's what you said an hour ago," he complained impatiently, leaning back.

"Look, kid, keep whining and I'll take back what I said about you getting better at this," Guntz warned.

"I'm not a kid!" Klonoa snapped, raising his voice again. He hated being called that.

"I'll call you a kid when you act like a kid," Guntz remarked simply.

Klonoa grunted unhappily with another pout, crossing his arms and closing his eyes with furrowed eyebrows. Guntz peaked around the dumpster again, his ears twitching carefully. He then looked over at Klonoa once more with an amused smile. "What do you say we get something to eat after this?" he suddenly asked.

Klonoa opened one eye and glanced at him without turning his head, still frowning. "We'll go to that place you like; the one with the hamburgers," Guntz offered. Klonoa smiled, opening his other eye and turning toward him.

"Okay! But I have to save room for Lolo's cookies," he chirped, suddenly happy again. Guntz breathed out a quick chuckle. Klonoa was the kind of person who was easy to make mad or happy. After a year, Guntz had mastered the art. He could have his fun teasing the kid and not even have to feel guilty about it later.

Guntz' ear then flicked back reflexively barely a moment before he actually heard the noise. "Quiet, I heard something," he demanded softly, interrupting Klonoa as he described half to himself what he was going to get to eat. The long eared boy looked at him quickly with a sudden peak of interest.

"Is it them?" he asked expectantly. Guntz peaked around the side of the toppled over dumpster carefully. Parallel to the corners of the two buildings beside them was the wall of another worn down building; where they expected their target stored his stolen goods. Guntz could pick up the murmurings of a group of several people. They were too hushed to be a casual group of friends, yet still loud enough not to make a surprise entry.

"I think so," Guntz responded, listening. They were coming closer at a moderately gradual speed. Obviously they expected no trouble.

"Great. My legs are getting sore from sitting around so long," Klonoa sighed quietly. Before long Guntz could see the shadows of the group as they approached their destination.

"Stay close to me. We're going to get them while their backs are turned," he instructed, heaving himself up to his feet while still crouched low. Klonoa nodded slowly, already knowing the usual routine. He still wasn't all that experienced with this sneaking around stuff and would just follow Guntz' lead until they actually attacked.

The group had stopped now, directly in sight down the alleyway from where the two hid. They weren't a very large group; only three men besides the one in front Klonoa recognized from a picture as the outlaw they were after. Handing in the lackeys as well made for some nice extra cash, which Guntz was always willing to go the extra mile for.

When the whole group of gangsters had turned from them, all facing the hidden door that their boss was carefully unlocking, Guntz flicked a hand in signal and silently moved forward. With Klonoa close at his heels, he stealthily moved to the other wall parallel to the one the dumpster was against. He stopped just behind a small group of tin trash cans, which were located further down they alleyway, closer to the gang.

Only one gang member peaked over his shoulder and, upon seeing nothing out of the ordinary, looked away again. Klonoa's heart was beginning to pound. No matter how many times he'd done this, this part had always excited him. Sneaking around, waiting for the perfect moment to suddenly jump out and see the unexpected look on their enemies' faces—it gave him a rush.

Guntz looked behind him, spotting Klonoa's familiar excitement. He gave a sly grin and Klonoa knew exactly what that meant. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah!"

"Then let's go!"

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Probably the first time I didn't start off a story with a prologue. I just couldn't think of one that would fit so... Shwah! Let's just start it off from the get-go. 8D


	2. Chapter 2: A Good Team

**Disclaimer: **Radah bladah—Klonoa characters—dadih dudih—Namco—rumdih humdih—other characters—ladih madih—me. Capiche?

**AN: **I'm such a liar... Oh well.

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**Chapter 2: **A Good Team

The two suddenly leapt out from their hiding spot and charged for the group of outlaws. The gangsters could barely turn around to see what was happening before they were upon them.

Guntz was armed with his usual twin pistols, firing at the men in areas that would not cause a lethal injury. Klonoa had his trusty wind ring, with which he either shot the men with a wind bullet or lashed at them with the energy composed saber. The wind bullet could protrude such a blow of air that it could knock someone out if it was fired close enough.

The gang had their own weapons too, though, and once the moment of confusion was over, they started fighting back. One wielded a large steel bat, the other a thin sword, one a spiked ball mace, and the boss was armed with a single handgun. Guntz was usually the one who took on the enemy with the guns, having more experience with them; as well he took on the most formidable one. It wasn't really something he and Klonoa had agreed upon, just something he always did on his own. Sometimes it made Klonoa think that Guntz didn't believe he was capable of handling a stronger adversary.

However, Klonoa never complained, happy enough that Guntz even wanted him there as help at all. The gang members had obviously seen Guntz as the more dangerous of the two with his guns, so Klonoa had to get close to the one with the bat and blast a strong burst of wind in his face in order to get his attention. The man stumbled back, dizzied for a moment. The lackey with the sword was also facing him now, while the other two had their attention on Guntz.

Both men were much larger than Klonoa, though rather clumsy when it came to actually wielding their weapons. They weren't fast, but their strikes were fierce, so Klonoa had to be especially careful about his evasion. He quickly fired two wind bullets at the steel bat as it came down at him, causing it to counter back into the man's face.

As that one was stumbling back in pain, the other came forward with his sword. Klonoa swung his ring out as a long, flaring blade flew out from the gem. Despite having the appearance of just a long, glowing stick of green fire, it struck the opposing sword as though it were solid. Their swords clashed together many times before the man grew impatient and decided to thrust a large fist at the boy.

Klonoa ducked down swiftly, causing the man to stumbling forward a bit in lost balance. Klonoa took this change to swing around him and fire a wind bullet right at his head. The man's eyes rolled as he became lightheaded and then toppled forward with a low _thud, _out cold.

Distracted by his victory, Klonoa didn't notice the other gangster approaching behind him until his hard bat suddenly struck him upside the head. He fell to the ground, holding his head as it throbbed painfully. The man towered over him, lifting his bat over his head, ready to beat the kid senseless.

There was a quick, sharp piercing sound as a bullet then shot threw one of the man's hands. Growling in pain, he released his bat and it fell right on his head. Klonoa looked over quickly to see Guntz turning back toward his own enemies. He already had one down and out, the boss still up and firing his gun.

Klonoa hopped to his feet and jumped up, throwing his ring out at the wincing man's face and firing a wind bullet. With an uncomfortable moan, the man fell back hard to the ground. Landing back on his feet, Klonoa stood up straight and rubbed the sore bump on his head with a frown. He looked over to see Guntz giving the boss a skillful midair kick to the head, causing him to spin hard onto the ground.

Guntz sighed and brushed himself off when the man didn't get back up. He then caught Klonoa's gaze and looked at him expectantly. Klonoa gave a big smile and spread his arms out wide. "Not a scratch!" he chirped proudly. Guntz raised an eyebrow with a sarcastic grin.

"Great. Now let's load these lightweights up and get our money. Then we can get some food."

---

"We make a good team, Guntz!"

"Yeah, I guess so."

Guntz' response was absent as he fiddled through the wad of cash they'd received for turning in the group of crooks. He always became inattentive when he was handling money. Klonoa leaned back in his seat, taking another bite out of the large hamburger he'd order at the small restaurant they were currently sitting just outside of. He took notice to the hotdog that was lying lonely and untouched on the table near Guntz.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Klonoa asked. Guntz gave his food an insignificant glance before returning to the money without a verbal response. "What do you do with all that money?" Klonoa asked instead.

"I save it… Until I find something I need to spend it on. Here." Guntz slipped a portion of the money out of the bundle and handed it over to Klonoa. It wasn't an even split of the money. That was something they had agreed upon, though.

"I live with Grandpa, so it's not something I really think about. Living in Breezegale is cheap," Klonoa responded as he took the money and stowed it away without even really looking at it.

"Well, living on your own isn't so free. I have to buy things by myself," Guntz conflicted, finally looking away from the money.

"If you lived in Breezegale, you wouldn't have to worry about stuff like that," Klonoa rebutted. Guntz sighed heavily, looking away. Klonoa leaned forward with a stern look. "I'm serious! You know, I don't think accidentally making people scared is a good excuse to not come to Breezegale."

"It's not an excuse!" Guntz argued irritably. "And it's not just that, either. I've got some pretty nasty people on my tail. You want me to drag them to a peaceful place like that?"

Klonoa frowned unhappily. "I thought you weren't committing crimes anymore."

"I'm not! But hunting other criminals down and turning them in for a living comes with a price. Other crooks hear about me and try to take me out before I get them first."

Klonoa didn't like hearing that at all. "That's unsafe," he muttered.

Guntz made a confident grin. "Not for me. I've been dealing with things like this for years. I was born here in Volk and I've got experience when dealing with stupid thugs who think they can outsmart me." Klonoa still didn't look very satisfied. "Don't be losing sleep over it, kid. I can look after myself," Guntz assured.

Klonoa sighed discontentedly. "Yeah, I know… And I'm not a kid!" He leaned over the table with a glare, his hands upon its surface threateningly. Guntz leaned his chin on his palm, unimpressed.

"Don't you have somewhere to be right now? It's almost 180," he asked with disinterest. Klonoa suddenly perked up, spinning his head around to look at the horizon.

"It is?! But—How can you tell?" he asked quickly. The sky was still too orange and too clouded over to see where the sun was.

"I've lived in Volk my whole life. You think I haven't figured out to tell time from here? Besides, there's a clock… up there," Guntz lazily pointed up toward the tall clock tower that soared over the city.

"Oh no! I told Lolo I'd meet her at Bell Hill before sunset!" Guntz just watched as Klonoa frantically jumped to his feet and snatched up his half-eaten burger and oversized ring. "I'll see you tomorrow, Guntz!" he bade quickly before sprinting off down the street. Guntz watched until the boy was out of sight, then looked up at the clock tower with his chin still rested on a palm.

"Tomorrow," he echoed in a mutter under his breath.

---

"I'm here!"

Everyone glanced in one direction as Klonoa nearly fell over skidding to a halt on the grassy hill. He stumbled slightly, catching his breath from the long run over there. By now the sun was no longer visible, the last traces of its presence leaving a pinkish hue at the horizon.

"And late," Popka added unappreciatively, sounding as though he expected no better. Lolo patted the short, long-armed dog creature on the head, smiling.

"I'm happy to see you, Klonoa. I've missed you," she greeted politely. Klonoa swallowed the rest of his breathlessness away, also smiling.

"Y-Yeah. Me, too, Lolo."

"This is great! It's been so long since we've all been together like this!" Chipple cheered, making little hops of excitement.

"How long are you staying this time, Lolo?" Klonoa asked hopefully.

"Only a week or two. They'll send me a letter when I have to go back. But I'm excited. The Sky Temple is so much different than Breezegale. There's no place like home, right?" Lolo smiled.

Klonoa laughed cheerfully, but Popka cut him off. "Aw, quit bein' such a cheesy cheese ball, Lolo! Besides, it's too dark right now. Let's catch up tomorrow. I dun' wanna get mobbed by a pack o' moo!"

"You don't need to be so protective, Popka. We're safe. Klonoa and Chipple are here," Lolo assured patiently. As though on cue, Klonoa and Chipple both made a goofy grin at the same time.

"Oh yeah, I feel _real_ secure," Popka muttered sarcastically.

"I guess Popka is right, though. Besides, you must be tired after the long trip here. Let's meet here again in the morning!" Klonoa chuckled. He scratched his head subconsciously and accidentally met the bump he'd received earlier that day. "Ow," he muttered reflexively.

"What was that?" Lolo asked quickly, automatically worried.

Klonoa nearly jumped, holding his arms up as reassurance. "Nothing! I just, uh…"

"Klonoa was out with that Guntz guy again today," Chipple finished for him.

"Chipple!" Klonoa scowled, causing the kangaroo boy to flinch slightly.

"S-Sorry. I didn't know it was a secret!" he whimpered.

"It's not…" Klonoa murmured quietly, glancing at Lolo reluctantly. She didn't look happy at all. Her face was clouded with concern and also the slightest hint of a scowl. Klonoa knew why. "I'm fine, really! I just got hit on the head a little. Otherwise I don't have a scratch, see?" He spread out his arms with a hopeful grin, as though showing his undamaged body in the darkness would be of any help.

Lolo didn't look satisfied in the least. She almost looked a little betrayed, though she said nothing. "C'mon, Lolo. Let's go home. I'm sure yu'r parents are waitin'," Popka prompted carefully. He never liked to see Lolo upset and clearly wanted to change the subject.

Lolo looked down dejectedly. "Okay, let's go," she finally answered, turning around with him. "We'll see you guys tomorrow," she called back to the two boys with a cheerless smile. Klonoa and Chipple watched as they headed down the hill toward the village.

"Lolo doesn't like it when you're around Guntz," Chipple remarked quietly.

"I know," Klonoa sighed. Lolo had told him herself last time she'd visited. She told him it was dangerous. However, it wasn't only the things they were doing that she thought was unsafe, but also Guntz himself. She did trust him. Klonoa didn't understand why. Guntz had helped him save her back on the moon. Wasn't that proof enough that he was a good person?

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The "it's almost 180" thing is my attempt at making this story more "we're not on earth" apparent. So I made up a new clock system. It's measured by degrees in relation to the position of the sun. Therefore, when the sun is directly overhead (12:00 PM) it's 90 FR (full rotation), when the sun is setting (approximately 6:00 PM), it's 180 FR. I'm not gonna explain it in further detail since it's not relevant to the plot, but don't think you can steal this idea just because I won't use it much! D8l


	3. Chapter 3: Not Dangerous

**AN:** Aaah... Isn't it fascinating? It's a miracle that I finally decided the update this story... which is pretty sad being as I've had up to chapter 5 already written on my computer since the last update... uh, Enjoy!

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**Chapter 3:** Not Dangerous

Klonoa and Chipple separated soon after and headed home. The departure of the sun brought an unfriendly chill in the air and Klonoa was happy enough to return to his cozy, small house where Grandpa was waiting. He slept uneasily that night. The troubled feelings he'd left his friends with and the impenetrable throbbing bump on his head were no help. He woke up feeling rather drowsy the next morning, but he was able to wake himself up enough by the time he was ready to head outside.

Half of him actually didn't want to go see his friends at all, while the other half was hopeful and wanted to see them right away. After what had happened last night, Klonoa was left to head for Bell Hill with a hollow feeling in his stomach. He desperately hoped that Lolo would just drop the subject altogether and then they could all have fun. Hopefully it would never have to come up ever again.

When Klonoa reached the bottom of the hill, he could just see the short silhouettes of his three friends in front of the young sunlight of dawn. He took his time heading up until Chipple spotted him, then hurried up at a faster pace. He didn't want the others knowing how reluctant he felt. When he reached them, he was smiling optimistically like he always was.

"Good morning, Klonoa."

Klonoa was surprised to hear Lolo's cheerful voice greet him first, and a burst of relief followed after in seeing her smiling at him. "Good morning!" he responded almost too excitedly.

"'ey! Whadda 'bout us? We're here, too!" Popka piped in irritably, hoping up and down.

Lolo chuckled. "Oh, Popka. You'd need a million 'good morning's in order for you to ever have one," she teased good-naturedly. Everyone except Popka laughed and suddenly every uneasy feeling Klonoa had had was gone.

The group of friends spent the rest of their morning walking along Breezegale talking and laughing. They went to Balue's windmill to see him and his friends preparing wood for the winter festival coming up in a few weeks. They were some of the only strong men in the tiny village they lived in and most of the construction was left to them.

Bidding them good luck, the group then headed off toward the Sea of Tears. Klonoa felt great. This was how it was supposed to be—hanging out with all of his friends, having fun without a care in the world. He hadn't felt this blissfully giddy in a while and it was certainly a nice change.

"I'll race ya!" Popka suddenly yapped, turning on Chipple who was walking next to him.

"Wha?" Chipple squeaked, confused.

"Ready, set, go!" Pokpa then yelled quickly, flying ahead before he was even finished.

"Hey! That's cheating!" But Chipple ran after him anyway.

Klonoa laughed. "Don't fall in when you get there!" he called after them jokingly as he and Lolo watched them go from behind.

"No matter how much time passes, Popka still always acts like a little kid," Lolo giggled.

"Yeah. Good ol' Popka never lets us down," Klonoa chuckled. He reached his hand back spontaneously to touch the back of his head at a light itch, remembering just a moment too late about the bump. He looked away to hide a quick wince, but he knew Lolo was staring at him with a frown.

"Does it still hurt?" She asked with concern.

"No," Klonoa answered quietly without looking at her. It wasn't a complete lie; it only hurt when he touched it. There was a moment of silence as the two just stood there, looking away from one another. Klonoa could just guess what was coming next.

"Klonoa, I don't like it… when you hang out with… Guntz." Lolo seemed slightly hesitant about saying the name. She'd never had a formal introduction with Guntz. She'd never even really seen him face to face, let alone exchanged words with him. Everything she knew came from what Klonoa had told her after she'd been rescued.

Klonoa didn't respond right away. "I know," he murmured reluctantly, still not looking her in the eyes.

"Then why do you?" Lolo was being a bit more accosting than Klonoa had expected. She was getting straight to the point.

"He's my friend," Klonoa answered, his voice subconsciously growing stronger.

"It's dangerous."

"He's not dangerous!"

Klonoa hadn't even realized he was snapping at Lolo until he already had. He was surprised at himself and considered apologizing, but he said nothing. He'd felt the gradual rise of unfamiliar frustration as Lolo continued to talk against Guntz. It was uncharacteristic of him to yell at anybody, especially a friend, but he suddenly couldn't control it.

Lolo seemed taken aback, but she held her ground, not ready to back down just yet. "I didn't say he was dangerous," she murmured quietly, looking down for a moment.

"It's what you meant." Klonoa hated himself for speaking in such an irritable tone with one of his closest friends. Lolo said nothing for a moment, not about to deny that statement. "You know, he helped me save you," Klonoa reminded challengingly.

"I know," Lolo started slowly. "But I also remember that his main reason for helping was to kill a man," she retorted gently but effectively. That was something Klonoa had told her. Back then he'd felt no need to leave anything out while telling the exciting tale of the great adventure he'd had to all of his friends. Yet now he was starting to wish he'd left every detail about Guntz out and just said he was a friend he'd met one day.

"But he didn't," Klonoa answered slowly, struggling to control the rising temper in his voice.

Lolo kept going, not about to stop until she made her point clear. "He meant to. Whether he did or not, he knew he _could_ do it. He knew he could kill—"

"You don't know him!"

"Do _you_?!"

Now Klonoa was taken aback, and it wasn't just because Lolo had yelled back. It was at this point he realized how much Lolo had changed. In just a year she had become a much stronger and more mature person. Time had been good for Lolo, but what had it done for him? Klonoa was still the same childish, incorrigible, immature boy he'd always been. He hadn't changed one bit.

"Of course I do," he finally replied, his voice weakening in discouragement.

Of course he didn't. Thinking about it now, Klonoa realized he really didn't know all that much about Guntz. He'd attempted many times to get the older boy to open up to him about his past, but Guntz was always reluctant to say anything. That didn't have to mean that it was full of dark secrets, though.

Klonoa didn't want to think about it anymore and looked away. Lolo sighed softly, not at all satisfied that she'd managed to dent his argument. "Klonoa, I'm just worried about you. It's not only him, but it's what you're doing that's dangerous, too. You got hurt yesterday," she insisted, a soft pleading edge in her voice.

Klonoa looked at her, actually willing that feeling of aggravation to come back so that he could further justify why being around Guntz was all right and that her worries were trifling. However nothing would come and he looked away again. Lolo tried once more. "Please, Klonoa. I don't want—"

"We're helping people by locking up criminals. There's nothing wrong with that," Klonoa interrupted, still looking away. Lolo frowned and Klonoa knew he was jumping right over the point.

"Klonoa—"

"Don't worry about me!"

The words were more out of annoyance than an attempt to reassure anyone. He turned away and briskly started down the hill, and when Lolo tried to call him back he broke into a run. She just watched with a sigh and to her displeasure saw him head straight for Volk.

---

"You know, I wasn't expecting to see you today. I didn't look for any jobs."

Klonoa didn't look at Guntz as he spoke with a clearly curious inflection in his voice. The boy simply stared at the rugged streets of Volk on which they walked aimlessly. People passed by, fearlessly treading the not uncommonly dangerous city midst. Very little was happening at this exact moment and if one was new to this region, they may at first glance consider this to be a very peaceful place.

"We don't need to be with each other just to do jobs."

Guntz didn't miss the slightly defensive tone in Klonoa's voice as he still didn't look up at him. He knew something was up. "Well… Didn't your friend come back last night?" He asked progressively.

"She did…"

Guntz paused for a moment before responding to the vague answer. "Then why aren't you hanging out with her instead of moping around a place like this?"

Klonoa hesitated for a moment, finally breaking his emotionless mask with a hint of guilt. "I… had an argument… with Lolo," he replied reluctantly.

"What? Why? I thought you two were close." Guntz was more than just a little surprised to hear that such a sociable guy like Klonoa—who seemed to value friendship over anything else—would partake in quarrel with the same person he'd been so excited to see just the day before.

"Well, we… are… She… She doesn't like it… when I come over here… with you." The unwillingness of Klonoa's voice only increased the more he spoke.

"Oh." Guntz couldn't say he was particularly astonished, though the fact that the argument was about him caught him a bit off guard. It made him more than a little uncomfortable to hear that Klonoa was having a problem with his friends because of him—or that anyone was arguing about him at all, for that matter. He didn't particularly care for being mocked behind his back—only a worthless mongrel would be so cowardly not to see him face-to-face—but being defended by someone else felt like the worse kind of insult a man could suffer.

"You should go back and apologize," Guntz suggested instead of simply telling the boy off. He knew Klonoa was the kind of person who would defend anyone at any time whether that person wanted it or not; it was just the way he was.

"But—Guntz, I don't like the things she says about you." Klonoa looked at Guntz for the first time since he'd suddenly come to Volk and found him that afternoon. Guntz felt a twinge of frustration but didn't let it show.

"Who cares? She's probably right, anyway," he remarked simply, attempting to lessen the seriousness that Klonoa was taking this situation. It didn't work; not that Guntz really thought it would.

"She's not!"

Guntz gave Klonoa a sharp look, his irritation in knowing that this had even happened getting the better of him. "Don't get mad at your friends because they're trying to protect you," he said, his voice stern compared to how casually he'd been speaking before.

Klonoa was only getting angrier and now it seemed to be directed to Guntz himself. "Protect me from what? You?!"

Guntz stopped, surprised, and he had to look away for a moment. Of course this had been the epitome of the argument itself. From what he'd been told, Lolo was the kind of person who saw people for what they were, not judging them for what they _seemed_ to be. She must've known somehow that Guntz had done criminal things for a living and smartly knew he wasn't a person who should be readily trusted.

Klonoa was also looking away, the anger in his face gone to revealed just plain unhappiness. Guntz sighed softly, trying to keep his wits and patience about him before they started arguing as well. "Just apologize," he repeated in a calmer voice, and when Klonoa didn't respond he insisted, "Okay?"

Klonoa turned his head toward him, but didn't look him in the eye. "I'm not sorry for defending you."

Guntz again resisted the heat of frustration. He knew there was a better way to resolve this truthfully minor conflict besides impatient yelling; though Klonoa was practically giving him no choice. He finally came up with an idea and gave an arrogant smirk.

"Come on. How many times do I have to tell you that I'm perfectly capable of defending myself? I've survived in Volk this long; I think I can manage with some girl speaking her mind about what she thinks of me."

Klonoa glanced at him from the corner of his eye, slightly confused by the sudden change of intonation as Guntz spoke.

"I'm Shinigami Guntz! I own this city!"

Klonoa almost jumped at the unexpected velocity in Guntz's voice. A few people walking by were also giving glances of surprise, as well. Guntz looked at Klonoa with a toothy grin, completely ignoring the odd looks he was receiving around him, and gave a wink. "Right?"

Klonoa could only blink at him, bewildered. Guntz gave him a teasingly heavy pat on the head. "Now you go say you're sorry, whether you are or not, and then you can go have fun with your little friends. You don't look right when you're upset."

Klonoa just stared at him for a moment and then seemed to consider something quickly. He then brushed Guntz's hand off his head and finally gave him what he was looking for and smiled.

"You're really weird, Guntz."

* * *

Lawl. And don't tell me Guntz is acting OOC there. He flips out in a very similar manner in Heroes. Hey, he can't be angsty all the time. Klonoa however...


	4. Chapter 4: Don't Want to Lose my Friends

**AN:** Man. I keep forgetting about this story... and my chapter titles are so lame. X

* * *

**Chapter 4: Don't Want to Lose My Friends**

The sun was already starting to set by the time Klonoa reached Breezegale again. He'd left Volk with a new feeling of enthusiasm, thanks to Guntz, but as he got closer to home he felt his drive gradually fading away as easily as it had come. His motivated pace had lessened significantly by the time he reached Bell Hill. Guntz had helped Klonoa assure himself that there was definitely a way to resolve this issue with everyone walking away happy in the end.

Yet Klonoa still couldn't think of the right words to use that would convince Lolo that everything was all right. Not only that, but he really had some apologizing to do. Lolo was only worried for his safety—he knew that. Yet he'd so readily snapped at her for accusing what he was doing as dangerous. Klonoa didn't know why he'd reacted so strongly to it in the first place.

Maybe it wasn't what Lolo was saying about what he did, but what she said about Guntz himself that drove Klonoa off the edge. She'd called him dangerous and might as well a murderer. What right did she have to talk about his friend that way? Klonoa could feel himself getting angry all over again just thinking about it.

He sighed heavily and sat down atop the hill, knowing well enough that talking to Lolo now in his current mood would only lead to more problems. His back faced the quiet town as he rested his arms and head on his bent knees, staring absently at the forest ahead of him. The large golden bell that gave this hill its name was hanging to his left, and to his right he could barely see the sparkling horizon where the Sea of Tears was located.

The setting sun gave everything a bloody red tint and it left Klonoa feeling lonely and insecure. He was used to having someone there for moral support. There was usually _somebody_ there to give him a helpful suggestion or two. All Guntz had told him was to apologize. Of course that was what he ultimately had to do, but how could he ever make up _yelling_ at Lolo? And of course, even after finding a way to apologize, she wasn't going to suddenly approve of Klonoa spending time with Guntz.

Sure, he could just ignore her concerns altogether, but what kind of friend would that make him? He could lose his friendship with Lolo entirely by doing that. On the other hand, he could also stop seeing Guntz. However that still wouldn't work because then he'd lose _Guntz's_ friendship, not to mention never see him again.

Klonoa sighed again, shifting his gaze blindly as he kept thinking. Wasn't there a way that everyone could be happy and he wouldn't have to lose any of his friends at the same time? It was so unfair. Why did things have to turn out this way?

The more Klonoa wallowed in self-pity, the more frustrated he got. His eyes were practically starting to get moist by the time he heard the soft sound behind him. He twisted around very suddenly, catching Lolo by surprise as she slowly approached him. Klonoa's own look of surprise soon turned to reluctance as he turned forward again, still seated, not sure what to say.

He was afraid to look at Lolo as she silently sat beside him, staring aimlessly at the forest ahead. He couldn't read her expression from the corner of his eye and almost didn't want to. She was probably furious with him. The next few moments of silence were torturous for Klonoa. Was she expecting him to say something first? What should he say? He had to think of something that wouldn't only make the situation worse.

"How are you feeling?"

Klonoa almost jumped when Lolo spoke. Her voice didn't exactly sound concerned, but it was certainly far from angry in any sense. She didn't look at him until Klonoa finally turned his head toward her first. She was wearing an expressionless mask, as though she too were unsure how to act around Klonoa right now. Klonoa hesitated, though he gave his answer without really thinking about it.

"A little frustrated," he admitted quietly, looking away shamefully.

Lolo was still looking at him, possibly uncertain of how to take Klonoa's answer. She said no more, though, and Klonoa knew he would have to elaborate. "Lolo, I… I'm really sorry. I didn't… mean to yell at you. I just got really angry for some reason. I couldn't help it… I just…" Klonoa couldn't remember a time when words had been any harder to say. Lolo wasn't looking at him directly anymore, staring off thoughtfully as though considering his apology.

"Lolo, Guntz is my friend. And, well… I'd even say that I might be the only friend he has." Lolo seemed a bit surprised by this. She'd never considered Guntz's feelings for this whole situation. For all she knew he could care less or love whenever Klonoa went over there—though she instinctively assumed the first.

Klonoa had no way of knowing if any of his words were coming through to Lolo. The only thing he could do was keep going. "Guntz's never done anything to hurt me before. And when we go on missions, he always takes on the stronger ones—and just yesterday, after I got hit on the head, he saved me from this thug… I would trust him with my life."

Lolo closed her eyes, not very happy to hear that last part. However, her expression never visually changed, and it was just torturing Klonoa. "I know you're worried, but… He's changed a lot since I first met him. He's a lot more patient now; and he doesn't get mad as easily—and he certainly doesn't kill people." He wasn't going to add in the word "anymore" in there. For all Klonoa knew—and liked to believe—Guntz had never murdered a soul in his life.

"I really like doing things with him; as much as I like hanging out with you guys. I just… Lolo… I don't want to lose any of my friends," Klonoa finally finished, his voice starting to falter at the end. He felt drained now—exhausted—though relieved that he'd been able to get out everything he wanted to say, and he waited for Lolo's response stiffly.

"I'm sorry."

Klonoa looked over quickly, unable to reply for a few seconds. "What?"

Lolo didn't look at him, looking very thoughtful. "You're right. I'm being very inconsiderate."

"That's not what I—"

"I was just talking without thinking." Lolo looked at him. "I didn't mean to make you upset, either. I was just so determined that what you were doing was wrong… that I didn't bother to think how you'd feel about everything I said." She smiled both in apology and amusement. "I guess that makes us even."

Klonoa stared at her, a little confused. "Y-You…"

Lolo looked away from him sharply. "I won't object to you going over there anymore, if you just _have_ to do it. So long as you make sure you come home safely," she compromised in a mock-scowling voice, a smirk the only thing assuring Klonoa that she was teasing him.

He smiled, feeling as though a huge weight had suddenly been lifted off his shoulders. "Really? Thanks, Lolo!"

"You don't need to thank me. I'm not your mother. I can't _make_ you do or not do anything," she remarked, amused.

Klonoa felt a little embarrassed and shifted in his seated position. "W-Well, yeah, but… I mean, I don't want to do anything that would make you upset," he admitted hesitantly.

Lolo gave him an appreciative smile. "Thank you."

She leaned against him and suddenly all the tension that had been between them disappeared as though it had never been there at all. Klonoa finally felt that grateful feeling of companionship again, making him feel more secure and happier than he'd been all day.

The sun was completely out of sight by now and a feeble chilling breeze was working its way through the village behind them. Klonoa felt himself subconsciously move closer to Lolo to share her warmth. They stayed like that in blissful silence, watching as the insects of the forest started to display their colorful lightshow to one another.

Klonoa was beginning to get a little drowsy when Lolo started to speak again, her tone still light. "I still don't trust him."

"I trust him."

"I trust _you_."

They looked at each other. "I trust you to know who you should trust," Lolo continued. Klonoa was so tired right then that the way she worded it almost confused him.

"I trust you to trust me… to know who I should trust," he smirked. Lolo smiled with a gentle chuckle.

"So you'll come home safely, right?" She asked quietly, still smiling.

Klonoa smiled too, thinking back. "Always."

Lolo nodded, as though finally satisfied. She stood up slowly and turned toward the village, then looked back at the still sitting Klonoa, smiling mirthfully. "Now that we have that settled, you still haven't tried my cookies yet, have you?"

]-[

Guntz stared at the sky absently. It was very dark up there and there wasn't a star to be seen. He could tell the sun was well past set, even though the clouds in the sky were darkest now and Volk itself was still very lit up. No longer was the city shrouded in an eerie orange tint; as now everything was a relaxing gray color. Volk seemed to fall asleep at night, even though crimes were still about.

Guntz cared not for the petty thieves that were too afraid to rob in daylight. It wasn't like anyone was going to try and stop them no matter when they did it, but they still felt safer in the darkness. Criminals like those amounted to little demand and a small reward. He couldn't be bothered with them.

He exhaled softly, seeing his breath in the air for only a few seconds. However, it wasn't cold. Volk didn't get cold—ever. It might have been because of the limitless amount of burning smoke that emitted ceaselessly from all the factories and industries scattered everywhere amid the city; shielding the kingdom with a hot, thick barrier from the chill and snow. Consequentially, the summers were scorching hot and the winters were mildly warm.

Guntz walked aimlessly down the quiet city streets. Few people were out in this area at this moment. There were other places in Volk where people went to specifically at night to get drunk and party. Guntz couldn't say he himself hadn't gone there every now and again to drink his pathetic life away, though he hadn't been there any time recently. Trouble was started there more often than not; many times people got hurt there and even killed. And, in the careless bliss of their obliviously numbed emotions and common sense, some would run off to commit crimes elsewhere.

Guntz liked to say that he didn't partake in such activities because he was above starting trouble with a bunch of immature, drunk failures at life. However he knew that wasn't the whole truth. It'd only been a year or so since he actually had stopped doing things like that frequently. A year—which was not coincidentally the same amount of time that Klonoa had been doing jobs with him.

Ah, Klonoa: that noisy little kid and his infectious _do-good_ policies. Guntz had never before attempted to show his "targets" any mercy. They received treatment that was most convenient for himself. If the reward money was the same dead or alive, it was usually easier to just kill them; if they were required to be alive, he'd usually beat them down until they were only just about half-dead.

However, with Klonoa he was only allowed to knock them out. He could imagine the Force liked that better, too, no longer needing to waste precious medical supplies on someone who was no use to society. And, in truth, Guntz himself liked it a bit better that way, too. He was learning to restrain his violence—control it—rather than just thrust it all out at once in an untamed fury of hostility.

Guntz felt a little less like a monster when he hurt people less. Nothing would ever really repent for the horrid he'd done in his past, but anything was better than continuing to do them now. As well, he was finding this less violent life much more pleasant. He was able to sleep a full night now undisturbed, something that was rare only less than two years ago. Mornings were also more motivated, now aware that he wouldn't be forced to kill someone suddenly that day.

Guntz started to think back to when he'd been ordered to do terrible deeds under the command of someone who ruled over him, but he didn't want to and thought about something else. Klonoa sure had come to Volk upset that afternoon. Although he was mildly pleased with himself that he had managed to send Klonoa home with a newfound smile on his face, Guntz honestly couldn't fathom what the big deal was. So Klonoa's friend said a few bad things about him; who really cared? But of course that wasn't the only problem. His friend also hadn't wanted Klonoa to see him anymore.

That wasn't a big deal, either. Yet as much a Guntz tried to convince himself so, an involuntary feeling of regret and maybe even loneliness crept into him when he thought about never seeing Klonoa again. He almost growled at himself. Such feelings violated his own policies—policies to never become dependent on someone, to never even get close to someone. Yet after a whole year of getting used to seeing his partner nearly every day, how could he not start to rely on the kid's ceaseless enthusiasm to make the dark streets of Volk a little brighter for just one day?

Guntz sighed aloud and it was at that point that he realized he was being followed. He didn't have to look. It was the sound of one trying to stay hidden that gave them away. It was a nearly inaudible sound that came from one trying too hard to approach silently. There was that sound, as well as his natural, ever-aware hunter's intuition, that warned him to be on guard.

Guntz continued onward casually as though nothing were wrong, though his spy would eventually realize something was up as the area gradually became less populated. Guntz suspected that there was more than one, though that wasn't out of evidence or intuition—just a hunch. No one ever faced him alone nowadays.

It was only after he turned a corner to a completely deserted street that Guntz decided it was time to make this interesting. He suddenly dashed off, causing his followers to hesitate in surprise before springing into action. Their unexpected pursuit forced them to reveal their locations. As Guntz had suspected, there was more than one. Yet he wasn't worried one bit. It didn't matter how many there were. There could be a whole army after him and they'd never have a chance at catching him.

Once Guntz started running, he knew it was in the bag—but that didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun in the meantime.

* * *

The next chapter is entirely about Guntz running. Aren't you excited?


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